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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24253306">miss, understand me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/doofusface/pseuds/doofusface'>doofusface</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mr. Iglesias (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(that's obv their band name), F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Jealousy, Mr. Iglesias &amp; The Drip Tray, Rumors, Teenagers, mikey got mono that's it that's the fic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:42:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,971</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24253306</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/doofusface/pseuds/doofusface</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Oh, you’re dead to her, man,” Grace tells Mikey after a class where Marisol makes Walt switch seats with her for a seatmate partner project. “You’re screwed, Mikey.”</p><p> </p><p>aka<br/>the mono fic</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gabriel Iglesias &amp; Mikey Gutierrez, Grace Lee/Rakeem Rozier (background), Marisol Fuentes &amp; Mikey Gutierrez &amp; Grace Lee &amp; Walt Dobbs &amp; Lorenzo Webber &amp; Rakeem Rozier, Marisol Fuentes/Mikey Gutierrez</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>132</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>miss, understand me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>not a doctor</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What do you mean <em> Mikey </em> has mono?” Marisol says, busting out a laugh. “Mikey. <em> Mono</em>.”</p><p>(Maybe they’re all <em> too </em> into butting into people’s business, but can you really fault a high schooler? <em> Especially </em> when their favorite teacher tells them after class, in a game of telephone, the <em> real </em> reason why their missing musketeer is out sick?)</p><p>“That’s what Mr. I told me.” Walt pauses, putting a hand over his heart. “He’s got more game than I thought,” he says solemnly. He shoves his books into his locker and trades them for what Marisol suspects is a week-old sandwich.</p><p>She’s gonna assume he’s had worse. “Walt, you can get mono from using the same straw as someone else.”</p><p>“Marisol,” he says, shaking his head and patting her shoulder. “It’s <em> never </em> from that.”</p><p>“Wh—” she scoffs, a disbelieving, amused smile still on her face. “Rakeem got it last month! From <em>that!</em>” </p><p>“Sweet, innocent Marisol—”</p><p>“<em>Watch it</em>.”</p><p>“—he may have gotten mono from sharing straws,” Walt says, a finger up to tap his temple. “But we<em> all know </em> he was <em> out </em> with <em> Grace</em>.”</p><p>“That—” <em> Crap</em>. He’s right.</p><p>Walt walks away smugly, extremely proud of himself. He waves using the sandwich, and the gross bread taunts her for reasons she can’t understand.</p><p>“Mikey wouldn’t do that!” Marisol yells incredulously after him, ignoring the mildly-interested students passing by.</p><p>Walt pivots, raising a brow in amusement. “Why not?”</p><p>“‘Cause,” Marisol pffs, not sure what to end her sentence with. “He’s…” <em> Ahem. </em> “He just…” She gestures noncommittally.</p><p>“Yeeeees…?”</p><p><em> Huff! </em> “…Shut up!” she says, turning around sharply and stomping off.</p>
<hr/><p>(She ignores the eyes that follow and the whispers that weave along the stream of students.</p><p>It’s not like their gossip would be accurate, anyway.)</p>
<hr/><p>The blinking line taunts her.</p><p><em> Stop erasing the message</em>, it says. <em> You keep writing the same one anyway</em>.</p><p>(Gah. What is she doing?)</p><p>Last one.</p><p>Go.</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em> you have mono??? </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>(Sent.)</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em> Read 8:21 PM. </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>Oh.</p><p>Okay.</p>
<hr/><p>He’s back before the week ends, but that doesn’t mean jack.</p><p>Marisol thinks he’s <em> several things</em>, most of which aren’t as cool as what Walt keeps calling him, and she’s <em> not </em> having his fake apologies and insincere pleas.</p><p>How dare he play her.</p>
<hr/><p>(Not that…she’s been played…as in, she’s now into him…but…)</p>
<hr/><p>“Oh, you’re dead to her, man,” Grace tells Mikey after a class where Marisol makes Walt switch seats with her for a seatmate partner project. “You’re screwed, Mikey.”</p><p>“I didn’t do anything!” Mikey hisses, trying to keep his volume low as they walk around the school. Someone tries to high-five him. “IT WAS A STRAW!” he yells in self-defense.</p><p>He’s losing his mind.</p><p>All he did was try his cousin’s smoothie.</p><p>Why does no one believe him?!</p><p>“You know I just shared a straw, right, Grace?” he asks, distressed and more distressed.</p><p>“Yeah,” Grace says, eyeing him, “but so did Rakeem.”</p><p>“Oh m—I wasn’t on a date!” Mikey whisper-yells. “Why would I be on a date!” He drops his voice. “Why would <em> Marisol </em> think I would go on a date with someone who <em> isn’t her?!</em>”</p><p>“You tell me, playa,” Grace squints, walking away. “You. Tell. Me.”</p><p>“<em>Dude.</em>”</p><p>“<em>Play-ya</em>,” Grace sing-songs loudly before rounding a corner.</p><p>Mikey <em> groans </em>.</p><p>This is the <em> worst </em> week of his life.</p>
<hr/><p>Marisol wants to a) remove Mikey Gutierrez from her entire life memory, and b) make him explain who the—unfortunately, attractive—girl he’s been hanging out with after school is so she knows who to blacklist from everything.</p><p><em> Not a date my ass </em>, she thinks, glaring at Mikey as he hugs the girl goodbye and enters the school.</p><p>She heads in when he’s ten yards ahead, because screw that guy.</p>
<hr/><p>(She sits beside Lorenzo and Mr. Iglesias has to pretend he isn’t seeing the smoke rising from her seat every time Mikey tries to look over with a smile.)</p>
<hr/><p>“Okay, I don’t know what I did wrong, and I need help, and you’re the only person who believes in me, so please help me,” Mikey whines in one breath.</p><p>“That doesn’t answer my question,” Gabe says, staring at him blankly.</p><p>“Right, um—what was the question again?”</p><p>“Why are you in the teachers’ lounge?”</p><p>“Because I can’t sleep because Marisol’s mad at me, and that makes me sleepy during class, but I can’t sleep in class ‘cause then she’ll think I’m lazy and also because I need to pass algebra, so I need caffeine but I don’t have money so I just get coffee from here because it’s free.” <em> Inhale</em>. “And because you guys have a couch.”</p><p>“So you can sleep.”</p><p>“Only when nobody’s here?”</p><p>“Mikey,” Gabe says, assuming <em> Wise Old Owl </em> sitting position. “Why’d you go on a date with someone if you didn’t want to hurt Marisol’s feelings?”</p><p>“I didn’t go on a date,” Mikey whines desperately. “I just shared a straw with my cousin. She probably got it from her new boyfriend, I dunno!”</p><p>“Wait,” Gabe freezes, squinting. “Your cousin?”</p><p>“Yeah, she’s visiting from New York—she’s been driving me to school the last few days?”</p><p>“…Ohhhh.”</p><p>Mikey furrows his brows. “What is it? What’s wrong? Am I screwed forever? Is Marisol never gonna talk to me again? Do I have to die alone?”</p><p>Gabe puts a hand on his shoulder. “I can’t promise anything about the other stuff, but I <em>can</em> promise you Marisol’s gonna talk to you again.” Pause. “Eh, I hope.”</p>
<hr/><p>She’s there again.</p><p>The pretty girl. </p><p>With a car, apparently, and she’s walking close to Mikey as they cross the parking lot.</p><p>Marisol decides to walk right past this time, because whatever. It’s not like it’s her business that he’s dating. And she’s never said anything to him either, so she doesn’t have any reason to expect him to wait for her or whatever.</p><p>(Maybe having him at arm’s length because she’s been so busy with work and everything else can be a lesson to her about romance, but she’s refusing to acknowledge this ever being about that, because that’s <em> ridiculous. </em>)</p><p>“Marisol!”</p><p>(She is an idiot, this was a bad idea, and she 100% likes him a bit because she really does not want to meet his—eugh—<em>girlfriend </em> on Friday morning.)</p><p>“Hey!” Mikey says, because he’s caught up, because she froze in place like a possum playing dead. “I, uh—sorry, I just really wanted you to meet Cat.” <em> Grin</em>. “Cat, this is, um, Marisol.”</p><p>The audacity of this guy, smiling so wide—</p><p>(Wait.</p><p>Cat…  </p><p>Why does that sound familiar?)</p><p>Cat gives her a <em> huge </em> hug. “You’re a real person!”</p><p>“Uhhh,” Marisol says, furrowing her brows. “So are you?”</p><p>“Sorry,” Cat laughs, letting her go. She plants a hand firmly on Mikey’s shoulder, shaking him slightly. “My cousin does <em> not </em>shut up about you.”</p><p>(<em>Ohhhhhhhhhh—</em>)</p><p>“Ca…<em> aaat </em> ,” Marisol blinks, jaw dropping slightly as she nods with the <em> click </em> of information. Her pitch rises with her (incredibly embarrassing) chuckle. “As in, Cat<em>alina.</em>” </p><p>Cat grins so impossibly wide that Marisol fears for her cheeks. “Yeah! Exactly!” She nudges Mikey. “I <em> knew </em> you weren’t ashamed of me.”</p><p>“Oh, <em> he’s ashamed</em>,” Marisol says, sliding into Teasing Mode effortlessly. “But only because he says you beat him on <em> Fortnite </em> and any other video game he tries.”</p><p>“Well, it’s my major,” Cat shrugs.</p><p>(Okay. She can stay.)</p><p>“Hacks,” Mikey pouts.</p><p>Marisol snorts. “Right.”</p><p>“Whatever,” he says, starting to stammer, “sh-she’s the <em> reason </em> I got <em> mono </em> , so can’t be <em> that </em> great.”</p><p>“Ex’s fault,” Cat says, raising her hands in defense. “Dumped post-sickness.” She smirks, and Marisol gets the sinking feeling that a dam is about to burst. “But hey, at least <em> you </em> didn’t get it, right?”</p><p>“<em>Cat! </em>” Mikey hisses, instantly red.</p><p>Marisol’s frozen again, and hell if it isn’t funny to everyone passing them.</p><p>“What?” Cat says a little too innocently, spinning away just as the bell rings through the speakers.</p><p>Mikey speedwalks in.</p><p>Marisol’s late for class for the first time since third grade.</p>
<hr/><p>“Mikey, breathe.”</p><p>“<em>Yourplanbackfiredandshehasn’ttalkedtomeeventocorrectmeatspelling</em>,” Mikey spills out, voice so tinny Gabe’s sure it could double as a dog whistle.</p><p>Gabe passes him some water. “Say it again. Slowly.”</p><p><em> Gulp </em> . “Your plan backfired,” Mikey says, slumping into the teachers’ lounge couch with a defeated sigh. “Marisol’s been ignoring me the <em> whole day</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Weeell</em>,” Gabe drawls, scrunching up his face, “I wouldn’t say ‘ignoring’ is the right word.”</p><p>Mikey frowns at him. “She was collecting everyone’s assignments and took everyone’s <em> but </em> mine.”</p><p>“We’re remembering this differently.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?”</p><p>“Mikey,” Gabe says, “she looked at you, <em> mumbled something completely incoherent</em>, and then almost dropped everyone else’s stuff when she passed the papers to me.” Pause, and a disbelieving stare. “Like, how do you <em> not </em> remember that?”</p><p>“I’m pretty sure I blacked out after she couldn’t talk to me anymore,” Mikey says, knitting his brows in thought.</p><p>“Dude, I don’t know what your cousin said,” Gabe laughs, patting the boy on the back, “but I can bet you’re at <em> least </em> halfway to a girlfriend.”</p><p>Mikey stares at him, brows shooting up.</p><p>Gabe laughs louder. “Word of advice: Don’t mess this up.”</p>
<hr/><p>Marisol squints at herself in the mirror. Her hands grasp the edge of the counter, breath escaping her lungs in a long sigh.</p><p>She points at herself. “Get it together, Fuentes.”</p><p>Grace rolls her eyes in the background. “Just ask me for a fresh five.”</p><p>Marisol points at her reflection. “No.”</p><p>“Faster than whatever this soap opera is.”</p><p>Marisol turns around, crossing her arms.</p><p>“I said what I said,” Grace says, pursing her lips and raising her chin. “What’s the ish, anyway? Mikey’s cousin is real, and he really got mono from a smoothie straw at a family hangout. Just grab his face behind the bleachers like a normal person.”</p><p>Marisol raises a brow.</p><p>“…Or so I’ve heard.”</p><p>The brow rises higher.</p><p>Grace clicks her tongue. “One school rumor to address at a time.”</p><p>“Oh, we’re talking about this later,” Marisol says, wagging a finger at her friend jokingly as she walks past. “Hell, if everything works out, I’ma talk about it on my date, too.”</p><p>“I know you’re using my investment in this to butter me up, but you should know it’s working,” Grace says, a failure of a frown on her face. She nods at the door. “Now let’s go get you a mono-free boy!”</p>
<hr/><p>(“…Geez, why would you bring that up?”</p><p><em> Shrug. </em>“It’s cheap payback.”</p><p>“It’s cheap <em> something</em>.”)</p>
<hr/><p>Mikey’s about two steps out the door from <em> Fortnite </em> club before someone grabs his hand and drags him to the nearest stairwell with lightning speed.</p><p>When he realizes it’s Marisol, he just about explodes.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you—”</p><p>“I have to say something—”</p><p>Mikey blinks.</p><p>Marisol’s mouth pauses at an “O”. She gestures to him.</p><p>“I just—” he starts, flailing, “I was gonna  ask if you w-wanted to—”</p><p>“I’m free tomorrow,” Marisol blurts out.</p><p>(Mikey swears she’s blushing.)</p><p>(Marisol swears he’s about to pass out.)</p><p>“Oh,” he says, a big-ass smile blooming on his face. “Oh. Sweet!” <em> Cringe. </em> “I mean—”</p><p>“No, no, it’s okay,” Marisol says, squeezing his hand.</p><p>(Oh! Oh, <em> crap!  </em></p><p>Wait! </p><p>She never let go of his hand!)</p><p>She’s smiling. “It’s a hundred percent sweet. Super cool.”</p><p>“Freakin’ cool,” Mikey says, somehow in adoration.</p><p>Marisol laughs. “Yeah. Freakin’ cool.”</p>
<hr/><p>They go out on: Saturday.</p><p>Walt and Lorenzo screech at them encouragingly when they see them hand-in-hand at the mall on: Sunday.</p><p>Grace and Rakeem have to explain the bleachers thing to their little friend group on: Monday.</p><p>Mikey waits for her to finish work and walks her home on: Tuesday.</p><p>Marisol covers her face the entire class after Mr. Iglesias sees them share a kiss outside the school on the morning of: Thursday.</p><p>Cat drops them off at a theater on her last night in town on: Friday.</p><p>And the mono jokes finally stop on: their eighth year together.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>alt title thanks to q: “my milkshake brings all the boys to the ward”</p><p>@ netflix WHERE IS THE S2 ANNOUNCEMENT</p><p>doofwrites on tumbls and the twit</p><p>God bless and stay safe out there fam :( &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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